Legal team size: 5

Country you’re based in: Addis Ababa Ethiopia

Career Biography

Tesfaye Mazengia is an accomplished legal professional with over twelve years of progressive experience across diverse sectors including aviation, FMCG, tobacco, and the automotive industry. He currently serves as Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs for Inchcape Africa, where he oversees legal, regulatory, and corporate matters across multiple East and Sub-Saharan African markets.

Throughout his career, Tesfaye has demonstrated exceptional capacity in legal advisory, compliance and governance, with a strong focus on cross-border transactions, contract negotiation, litigation and stakeholder management. Prior to his current role, he held key legal positions at Japan Tobacco International (Ethiopia) and Ethiopian Airlines, advising on complex regulatory frameworks and representing the companies in high-stakes legal matters.

In addition to his extensive in-house experience, Tesfaye has served as Company Secretary for several entities, including MOENCO Ethiopia, Red Sea Automotive, IDA Djibouti, and IAL Tanzania, where he contributed to the development of robust corporate governance structures and risk management frameworks.

A strong advocate for sustainability and ethical leadership, Tesfaye has undertaken executive development programs at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and Strathmore Business School.

Tesfaye is widely regarded for his pragmatic legal judgment, strategic thinking, and ability to bridge legal integrity with commercial outcomes.